H. Res. 810 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

September 12, 2016. 

Whereas Elie Wiesel was born in Sighet, Romania, on September 30, 1928, to Sarah Feig and Shlomo Wiesel; 

Whereas in 1944, the Wiesel family was deported to the 

Auschwitz concentration camp in German-occupied Poland; 

Whereas in 1945, Wiesel was moved to the Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany, where he was eventually 

liberated; 

Whereas Wiesel’s mother and younger sister, Tzipora, died in 

the gas chamber at Auschwitz and his father died at Buchenwald; 

Whereas Wiesel and his two older sisters, Beatrice and Hilda, 

survived the horrors of the Holocaust; 

Whereas after World War II Wiesel studied in France, 

worked as a journalist, and subsequently became a 

United States citizen in 1963; 

Whereas Wiesel’s first book ‘‘Night’’, published in 1958, told 

the story of his family’s deportation to Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust and has been translated 

into more than 30 languages and reached millions across 

the globe; 
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•HRES 810 EH 

Whereas Wiesel would go on to author more than 60 books, 

plays, and essays imparting much knowledge and lessons 

of history on his readers; 

Whereas in 1978, Wiesel was appointed to chair the President’s Commission on the Holocaust, which was tasked 

with submitting a report regarding a suitable means by 

which to remember the Holocaust and those who perished; 

Whereas in 1979, the Commission submitted its report and 

included a recommendation for the creation of a Holocaust Memorial/Museum, education foundation, and Committee on Conscience; 

Whereas in 1980, Wiesel became the Founding Chairman of 

the United States Holocaust Memorial Council and 

helped lead the effort for the United States Holocaust 

Memorial Museum to open its doors in 1993; 

Whereas in 1986, Wiesel and his wife, Marion, created The 

Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity in order to fight 

indifference, intolerance, and injustice; 

Whereas Wiesel, dedicated to teaching, served as a Visiting 

Scholar at Yale University from 1972 to 1976, professor 

at the City University of New York from 1972 to 1976, 

and Boston University from 1976 until his passing; 

Whereas Wiesel has received several awards for his work to 

promote human rights, peace, and Holocaust remembrance, including the Nobel Peace Prize, Presidential 

Medal of Freedom, the United States Congressional Gold 

Medal, the National Humanities Medal, the Medal of 

Liberty, the rank of Grand-Croix in the French Legion 

of Honor, and the United States Holocaust Memorial 

Museum Award; and 
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•HRES 810 EH 

Whereas, on July 2, 2016, at the age of 87, Elie Wiesel 

passed away, leaving behind a legacy of ensuring a voice 

for the voiceless, promotion of peace and tolerance, and 

combating indifference, intolerance, and genocide: Now, 

therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) extends its deepest sympathies to the members 

of the family of Elie Wiesel in their bereavement; and 

(2) urges the continuation of the monumental work 

and legacy of Elie Wiesel to preserve the memory of 

those individuals who perished and prevent the recurrence of another Holocaust, to combat hate and intolerance in any manifestation, and to never forget and to 

learn from the lessons of history. 

Attest: 

Clerk.